In the agriculture, construction and forestry industries, various work machines, such as loaders, may be utilized in lifting and moving various materials. In certain examples, a loader may include a bucket pivotally coupled by a boom or loader arms to the vehicle chassis. One or more hydraulic cylinders move the boom or loader arms and/or the bucket to move the bucket between positions relative to the chassis to lift and move materials.
Various factors are considered when designing or selecting the loader and bucket arrangement used, for example, the durability and wear resistance of the bucket, especially at the bottom leading edge, and the volume of material the bucket can carry. These factors typical indicate that the loader arms and bucket be made of heavy steel plate construction to handle large volumes of material and the corresponding weight and other forces associated with loading and carrying the heavy material. This also requires a robust hydraulic system with correspondingly large-capacity pumps, accumulators, valves and cylinders. Further, wear or damage to the bucket may also require replacement or vehicle downtime to repair the heavy-duty components.